I have seen different ways of doing the bent over row, which include pulling the weight up to one's abdomen, or upper abdomen. Some folk strongly recommend against this, teaching that the elbows should be out at right angles to the body, pulling the bar or DB up to the chest. I reckon this would exercise the other upper back muscles as well as the latissimus dorsi. Would you folks kindly discuss this a bit, and the merits of different performance?

I stopped using a barbell, when the row bothered my lower back. It didn't used to bother my low back if I got good position, but then I got an injury that took several months to rehab, so I pretty much eliminated the BB row. I use DBs, supporting myself with the other hand.

The main thing that matters is being bent over further. I think up higher with arms out more gives you more focus on rear delts. I have the same issue as you, so I end up doing single arm dumbbell row, prone dumbbell row, or tbar. I might get a cambered bar at some point, then I could use that in the prone position as well.

Rowing with the elbows in emphasizes the lats and lower traps, as well as possibly the middle traps (depending on body angle). Rowing with the elbows out emphasizes the rear delts and rhomboids. I would suggest including one of each along with some kind of pull-up/pull-down.

The main thing that matters is being bent over further. I think up higher with arms out more gives you more focus on rear delts. I have the same issue as you, so I end up doing single arm dumbbell row, prone dumbbell row, or tbar. I might get a cambered bar at some point, then I could use that in the prone position as well.

I am not comprehending what you mean by a prone dumbbell row. Do you mean that you are lying upon a bench or incline bench?

Rowing with the elbows in emphasizes the lats and lower traps, as well as possibly the middle traps (depending on body angle). Rowing with the elbows out emphasizes the rear delts and rhomboids. I would suggest including one of each along with some kind of pull-up/pull-down.

It makes sense that this is what happens. I just have read different views on the row, with some recommending getting the stretch, and not letting the bell touch the floor, and others(Pendlay, I think) recommending a reset each time. Then you have, like I asked about, where you pull to, elbows in or elbows out at right angles.

I used to get better action, wherein I felt the lats working, and that was when I pulled to the abdomen, but that was using a barbell. Then I felt a stretch and flexing of the lats and I knew they were working. When I pull to the chest or the pectorals, I don't get that so much. I feel it exercising my upper back. It would be nice to use a barbell, but I have pretty much eliminated it for the back's sake. I reckon one could rig up some kind of a bench where you could use a bar underneath it.

For elbows-in you could try Dumbbell Rows with a neutral grip, T-bar Rows with a narrow, neutral grip, or Seated Cable Rows with a narrow, neutral grip. For elbows-out you can try Dumbbell Rows with the dumbbell pronated, Seated Cable Rows to the chest with a wide, overhand grip (pull-down handle), or Chest Supported T-bar Rows with a wide, overhand grip.

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